Rolling and controlling the temperature of hot metal stock



Nov. 19, 1929. J. R. GEORGE ROLLING AND CONTROLLING THE TEMPERATURE OFHOT METAL STOCK Filed Aug. 3, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet Nov. 19, 1929. J. R,GEORGE ROLLING AND CONTROLLING THE TEMPERATURE OF HOT METAL STOCK FiledAug. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 19, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENTJEROME R. GEORGE, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO MORGAN CON-STRUCTION COMPANY,. OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OFMASSACHUSETTS ROLLING AND CONTROLLING THE TEMPERATURE OF HOT METAL STOCKApplication filed August 3, 1925.

The present invention relates to improvements in rolling and controllingthe temper ature of hot metal stock. In the rolling of such stock, awide range of temperature variation, particularly at or near thefinishing end of the rolling operation, is highly desirable; forinstance, the temperature of the stock while passing through the finalor finishing rolls of a rolling mill determines, to a large extent, thephysical characteristics of the rolled product, and for certain kinds ofstock, as hereinafter described in detail, it is important to finish atarelatively low temperature. The invention resides in an arrangement andmode of operation of certain rolling mill instrumentalities whereby,when needed, any desired delay in the passage of the stock to thefinishing rolls of a rolling mill may be readily secured, thus tocontrol over a Wide range the temperature at which said stock isfinished preparatory to its passage onto a cooling bed,whileat the sametime ofi'ering no obstruction to the operation of the mill at fullcapacity. In addition. absolute uniformity of temperature throughouteach bar is secured, because that end of a bar which emerges first froma preceding stand of rolls, is invariably presented first to eachsucceeding stand of rolls. The above and other objects are attained bythe method of rolling and by the arrangement of rolling mill apparatushereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Fig. 1 is a plan view of one arrangement of apparatus embodyingthe invention. 1

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view on an enlarged scale,illustrating a part of the delay table shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on an enlarged scale of said delaytable, the section being taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a plan view similar to Fig. 1, illustrating the samearrangement of apparatus, but with a delay table of differentconstruction.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View on an enlarged scale, the section being takenon. the line 5:' of Fig. 4. y V

Fig. 6 is a sectional viewv on an enlarged Serial No. 47,789.

scale, the section being taken on the line 6'-6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a modified arrangement of apparatus embodyingthe invention.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures.

In the arrangements shown in Figs. 1 and 4. the successive stands ofrolls 1, 2 and 3 constitute, under certain circumstances, an ordinaryloo 'iing mill, the rolls 1 and 3 running in the same direction, andthe-rolls 2 in the opposite direction, and the stands being closelygrouped to facilitate, when desired, the operators'catching the firstend of the stock and quickly introducing it to the successive rollpasses, in the ordinary manner of operating looping mills. Suchoperation of the apparatus is made use of in rolling and finishing suchstock as does not require any particular finishing temperature, andunder these conditions, involving no delay in ad 'ance of finishingthere is no obstacle to the operation of the mill at maximum capacity.Or if desired, while still operating the apparatus as an ordinarylooping mill, a limited delay between the successive stands of rolls maybe secured, by the operators holding the first end of the bar emergingfrom the preceding stand before introducing it to the next pass, thus toincrease the size of the loop that forms on the mill floor or table, asindicated by the differently-placed broken-line loops in Fig. 1.

In certain other kinds of stock, the oxidation which occurs in thefinished product, as the result of finishing hot as above described, isextremely objectionable, and such stock must be finished at a lowertemperature to prevent this oxidation; moreover, the reduction intemperature must occur near the end rolled product, and to accomplishthese various results, the rolling mill which produces these variousproducts must be equipped, in advance of its finishing passes, with avery sensitive and easily adjusted temperature controlling apparatus.

One example of such apparatus for use in conjunction with the stands ofrolls 1, and 3, for the production of spring flats, is shown in Figs. 1,2 and 3, the same disclosing the en'iploy incnt ot' a suitable guidingtrough for receiving the stock run out lengthwise by the rolls 1. saidtrough preferably being made in two sections a and 5, with a pair ofpinch rolls 6 introduced therebetween. An additional pair of: pinchrolls 7 is preferably provided at the delivery endof the second troughsection 5, and after passing through these Each roll 10 is mounted on ashaft 12.

rolls, the direction of movement of the stock' is reversed, by itspassage on edge through a turn-in repeater 8 of well known construction.From the latter the stock, in its passage to the rolls 2 is handled, ashereinafter described, on a delay table, and it will be understood that,for example, in the rolling of spring flats, the scale accumulating onthe stock by its exposure for agreater or less period on said delaytable, will be removed by passage through an edging pass provided bysaid rolls 2, following which said stock, after another reversal in itsdirection of movement, as shown at 9, will be finally finished and sizedin a fiat pass provided by the rolls 3.

Referring specifically to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the delay table thereinshown. consists of a plurality of spaced cylindrical rollers 10, L0,constituting a longitudinal conveying means on which the stock, aftermaking its turn of 180 in the repeater 8, resumes its normal fiatwisedisposition. In, conjunction with the rolls 10, 10 are provided fiattable sections 11, 11, the supporting surfaces of which aresubstantially flush with the tops of said rolls. and the several shafts12, 12 which extend beneath the table sections 11, 11 are adapted to bedriven'in unison from a common driving shaft 13 through the medium ofsuitable gearing 14, 14..

Along the opposite edge of the delay table, the sections 1.1, 11' aredownwardly inclined, as shown at 15, Fig. 3, and adjacent thereto theshafts 12, 12 carry a series of alined rollers 16, 16, having peripheralgrooves 17 adapted to receive and support the stock on edge as it slidesbroadside down the inclines 15 into said grooves. For the broadsidemovement of the stock across the delay table,

the sections 11, 11 have transverse slots or vgrooves 18, Fig. 2, forthe guidance of a plurality of 'reciprocatory push bars 19, 19. Thesepush bars 19, 19 are movable in unison in any suitable manner; as shownin Fig. 3, each is connected, through an arm 20, to a common drivingshaft 21 extending length- Wise of the delay table, and the oscillationof said shaft 21, as for instance by a suitable crank disk 22 andconnecting rod 23, procures movement of the several bars 19, 19 inunison, to push the stock broadside across the delay table. The strokeof the pusher bars 19, 19 may be varied, and adjusted to any desiredlength, by providing suitable holes, as shown at 24, in the crank disk22, or in the connecting rod 23, or in both; a pin 25, connecting thesetwo members, may then be set to get any desired forward movement of thepusher bars 19, 19. i

In the 'n'oduction, for example, of spring flats, the above describedapparatus provides, in advance of the last two roll passes, a means forcooling the stock to any desired temperature, depending upon theduration of its sojourn 'on the delay table. 011 said delay table, eachsuccessive bar brings up, at its front end, against a suitable stop 26.and

this contact maintained during the broadside movement of said bar acrosssaid table until the bar slides oil the incline 15 and is received bythe grooved rollers 16, 16. As shown in Fig. 3, each bar, as received onthe rollers 10, 10 of the delay table, comes under the action of thepusher-s 19. 19, and its re sulting broadside movement is transmitted toa number of bars that have preceded it on said table, causing the firstof these bars to slide oi? the incline 15. It is evident that the throwof the pushers 19, 19 may be adjusted so as to adapt the apparatus tobars of different widths, and also that by the adjustments provided. awide variation in the time permitted to elapse between the delivery ofthe first end of a bar from the rolls 1 and the entry-of said first endbetween the rolls 2 is atfiorded. thus keeping a complete and sensitivecontrol on the temperature of the stock by controlling the duration ofits stay on the delay table. In the rolling, for example, of springflats, the scale resulting from oxidation' during a greater or lessexposure on said delay table is cracked off in the edging pass providedby the rolls 2, and then the bar is quickly brought to the desired formand size in the absence of rolled-in scale in the flat.

pass provided by the rolls 3. v

The appartus shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 provides the same generalarrangement and ment to said stock as the latter is received thereon.

As best shown in Fig. 6, such broadside movement is normally resisted byaplurality of holding members 29, which extend upwardly through thetable sections 27, so as to interpose positive obstructions to thesidewise movement of a bar as it is carried forward longitudinallyagainst stop 26 by the rotation of the rolls 28. Each holding member 29is secured to a rock shaft 30, and when the latter is oscillated. themembers 29 move downward in unison, thereby to permit sidewise movementof the bar that is carried by the rolls 28; the oscillation of shaft 30is effected in any suitable manner as, for example, by means of a linkconnection 81 to a connecting rod 32, the latter being actuated by acrank disk 33 on a shaft 34. When a bar on rolls 28 is released forsidewise movement as above described by depression of the members 29,said bar passes broadside off of the rolls 28 and onto a second seriesof skewed rolls 35 which, as best shown in Fig. 4. are arranged betweenthe table sections 27 in alternating relation to the rolls 28.

The shafts 36 of the rolls 35, 35 are driven from a common drive shaft37 through suitable gearing 38, 38 and the shafts 39, 39 of the rolls28, 28 are also driven from the shaft 37 by gearing 40, 40. However, therespective sets of gearing 38, 38 and 40, 40 are arranged as shown, sothat t 1e rolls will rotate very slowly in comparison to the rolls 28;this speed differential. coupled with the fact that the rolls 35 affordextended supporting surfaces, crosswise of the delay table, for thestock, allows a considerable number of bars to accumulate on said rollsduring the broadside passage of one bar across the same. Thus a delaytable constructed as shown in Figs. 4. 5 and 6 has substantially thesame capabilities as the delay table illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.Each bar after is passage across the delay table shown in Figs. 4. 5 and6 slides by gravity down the inclined portions 41, 41 of the tablesections 27, 27, and is received on edge in the grooves 42. 42 ofrollers 43, 43, the latter being mounted on the shafts 39, 39 of therollers 98; these rollers 43. 43 deliver the bars to the second stand ofrolls 2 in precisely the same manner as the grooved rollers 16, 16 inthe first described form of the invention.

Referring now to Fig. 7, a delay table which may be of the sameconstruction as that shown in Figs. 1. 2 and 3 is here associated with adifferent arrangement of stands of horizontal rolls. Said stands ofhorizontal rolls 1, 2 and 3 are arranged in tandem. whereby they may beused. if desired, for continuous rolling. Or. if desired, the stockemerging from the rolls 1 may be diverted and introduced edgewise topinch rolls 44 for passage through the guiding trough 45, and

thence through another pair of pinch rolls 46, preparatory to having itsdirection of movement reversed in a repeater 47. From the latter saidstock is received flatwise on the rolls 10, 10 of the delay table, andafter bringing up against the stop 26- of said table, is transferredbroadside across said table by the pnshers 19. 19, the same as in theconstruction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The grooved rolls 16.716 of saiddelay table deliver the stock on edge to edging or pinch rolls 48, andafter passage through a repeater 49, the stock enters, successively, thealined stands of horizont a1 rolls 2 and-3. Thus, in all three forms ofthe invention, a wide range of temperature control, in advance offinishing, is secured, to

suit varying thicknesses and kinds of stock.-

I claim 1. In the rolling and finishing of hot metal stock, theimprovement which consists in successively introducing the advancingfront end of each piece to alternating flatting and edging passes,contained in a series of juxtaposed staggered roll standsrunningsuccessively in opposite directions and operable, when desired, as alooping mill, and exposing each piece. in extended position. prior tointroducing its advancing front end to the final edging pass, to apredetermined period of cooling.

' 2. In apparatus of the class described, a plurality of stands of rollsarranged in juxtaposition for operation as a looping mill, and

including a stand of edging rolls which are driven in a directionopposite from preceding and succeeding stands of flatting rolls, acurved repeater remote from said preceding flatting rolls to direct thestock into the line of delivery of said edging rolls, a delay tableinterposed between said repeater and said edging rolls to receive saidstock, and means associated with said delay table for delivering saidstock. to said edging rolls, by initial presentation to said edgingrolls of that end of the stock which first emerged from said precedingflatting rolls.

3. In apparatus of the class described, a plurality of stands of rollsarranged in juxtaposition to provide a looping finishing mill andincluding a stand of edging rolls running in a direction opposite topreceding and suc ceeding stands of fiatting rolls, a loop return guideto reverse the direction of the stock be tween the preceding flattingrolls and said edging rolls, a delay table between said return guide andsaid edging rolls, on which table the stock-is received flatwise. meansfor moving said stock broadside across said table, and means forthereafter delivering said stock from said table edgcwise longitudinallyto said edging rolls, by presentation to the posed rolling mill stands,arranged for looping mill operation on pieces of stock of greater lengththan the distance between the roll passes, of means disposed inapproaching relation to an intermediate roll stand ofsaid series forsupporting in extended position, for predetermined periods of cooling,successive ieces of such partiallyrolled stock delivere by the precedingroll stand of said series and diverted from said looping path, and meansfor delivering each such piece to said supporting means and to *saidintermediate stand, by initial presentation thereto of the same frontend thereof which first emerged from said preceding stand.

5. In the rolling and finishing of hot metal stock, by passe e through aseries of juxtaposed staggers rolling mill stands running successivelyin opposite directions and arranged for looping mill operation on piecesof stock of greater length than the distance between the roll passes,the improvement which consists in diverting such. stock from its loopingpath toward an intermediateroll stand of said series, advancing thestock toward said intermediate stand in a longitudin'ally extendedposition, subjectingsaid stock, in said extended position, to apredetermined period of cooling, and thereafter delivering said stock tosaid intermediate stand by initial presentation thereto of the samefront end of the stock which first emerged from the preceding stand ofthe series.

6. The combination, with a series of juxtaposed rolling mill standsarranged for loopmg? mill operation on pieces of stock of greater lengththan the distance between roll passes, of means forsubjecting thepartially rolled. stock, before passage through an intermediate stand ofsaid series, to a predetermined periodof cooling in a longitudinallyextended position, said means comprising a delay table onto which saidstock is delivered longitudinally from the stand preceding saidintermediate stand. and means for delivering said stock from said delaytable to said intermediate stand by presentation to the latter of thesame front end of the'stock which first emerged from said precedingstand.

7. In the rolling and finishing of hot metal stock, by passagesuccessively through a series of juxta osed roll stands arranged forlooping mi 1 operation on pieces of stock of greater length than thedistance between the roll passes, the improvement which consists indiverting the stock on its way to an inter mediate stand of said series,subjecting the diverted stock to a. predetermined period of cooling in alongitudinally extended position. and thereafter, delivering saidstockto said intermediate stand by initial presentation to the latter ofthe same front end of the stock which first emerged from the precedingstand of the series.

8. in a rollingmill, a mries of juxtaposed roll stands. presentingalternate flatting and edging passes, andadapted for looping mill.

0 cration on pieces of stock of greater length t an the distance betweensaid'passes, in combination with a delay table disposed in approachingrelation to the final edging pass 0 said mill, and adapted to support inextended position, for predetermined periods of cooling, the successivepieces of partiallyrolled hotmetal stock delivered'by the precedingfiatting pass of said mill, means for conducting the pieces delivered bysaid preceding flatting pass to that end of said table which is remotefrom said edging pass and for delivering said pieces longitudinally, bytheir first-rolled ends, to said table, and means for delivering eachpiece edgewise, by its first-rolled end to said edging pass, alter apredetermined period of cooling on said table.

9. In the rolling and finishing of hot metal stock, the improvementwhich consists in diverting partially-rolled pieces of stock from the rloop paths between successive jlixtaposed roll stands of a .loopingmill, and delivering said diverted pieces successively,

by their first-rolled ends to a delay table adapted to receive eachpiece in longitudinally extended position, exposing said pieces,

as received successively on said delay table to uniform periods ofcooling, and then dolivering them edgewise, by their first-rolled endstothat roll stand of said looping mill from which they were diverted.

10. In a rolling mill, 9. pair of adjacent reducing roll stands betweenwhich successive pieces of stock undergoing reduction and of. greaterlength than the distance between the roll passes, are free to formvariable loops, in combination with means disposed in approachingrelation to the second of said adjacent stands for supporting each pieceof stock in an extended longitudinal position, means for delivering eachpiece by its firstrolled end to that end of said supporting means whichis remote from said second roll stand, and means for thereafterdelivering each piece, after a predetermined sojourn on said supportingmeans, to said second roll stand. by initial presentation to the latterof said first-rolled end.

Dated this thirty-first day of July, 1925.

JEROME R. GEORGE.

